Children’s bread for a Gentile!

What would you and I do if we came to Jesus for help for our kids, and Jesus refused to answer us? Worse yet, what if He referred to us with a racial slur of the day, calling us “dogs?” Would we press on with getting down in front of Jesus with a more desperate plea? Matthew records just such an incident in Jesus’ ministry!

“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” “Jesus did not answer her a word.” (Matthew 15:21-23a) This Canaanite woman was a Gentile and yet recognized Jesus as the “Son of David” and “Lord”. She appealed to Jesus for mercy. “The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, ” but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:25-27) Jesus then commended this woman for her great faith! Her faith brought healing to her daughter immediately!

Jesus told this woman from outside the family of Abraham, that healing was the ‘children’s bread’! In other words, God gladly provides what His children need! He sent Jesus to those children who would have faith in His ability to provide and asked and kept on asking! This woman was persistent. She refused to be offended and sought the crumbs under the Master’s table! Jesus marveled at her “great faith”! He always honors faith! Why not press in today and ask Jesus for healing or help! If you are a child of His by faith, it belongs to you!